A Hierarchical Relationship between CME Properties and the Fluence Spectral Index of Large Solar Energetic Particle Events
Abstract
We report on a hierarchical relationship found between properties of white-light coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the fluence spectral indices of the associated Large Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) Events. We consider 74 large SEP events from the western hemisphere in solar cycles 23 and 24 by multiple spacecraft (SAMPEX, GOES, and STEREO). The associated CMEs are observed by SOHO. We find that CMEs with high initial acceleration are associated with SEP events with the hardest fluence spectra, while those with lowest initial acceleration have SEP events with the softest fluence spectra; CMEs with intermediate initial acceleration result in SEP events with moderately hard fluence spectra. Impulsive acceleration leading to high CME speeds close to the Sun results in shock formation close to the Sun, where the ambient magnetic field and density are high and the particles are energized more efficiently. Slowly accelerating CMEs drive shocks at large distances from the Sun, where the magnetic field and density have fallen off significantly, reducing the efficiency of shock acceleration. These opposite extremes are represented by ground level enhancement (GLE) events that have high speeds early on (high initial acceleration) and the SEP events associated with CMEs from quiescent filament region that have low early speeds (low initial acceleration). This finding strongly supports the idea that CME-driven shocks accelerate SEPs and the heliocentric distance where the acceleration takes place decides the hardness of the SEP fluence spectrum.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #229
- Pub Date:
- January 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AAS...22932503G